Rail joint



Aug. 18, 1925.

A. L. MURRAY RAIL JOINT Filed July 20, 1925 Patented Aug. 1.8, 192d UNIT TES

ASA L. MURRAY, 015 NELAGONEY, OKLAHOMA.

RAIL JOINT.

Application filed July 20, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AsA L. MURRAY, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Nelagoney, in the county of Osage and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a rail joint.

It is aimed to provide a novel construction which dispenses with the use of bolts or other fastenings additional to the securing spikes.

Another object is to provide a construction in which one rail has a tongue of novel design to coact with a recess in the other rail of similar shape to the tongue without interfering with the capability of the joint permitting contraction and expansion, and if desired in combination with an auxiliary 20 tongue and recess of opposite rails.

Additional objects and advantages will appear from the description following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the joining ends of rails partly broken away and in substantially longitudinal section;

Figure 2 is a plan view with the rail ends detached Figure 3 is an inverted plan or bottom view with the rail ends detached, and

Figure at is a cross-sectional view on the line 1 i of Figure 1.

Referring specifically to the drawings, A and B are fragments or ends of railway rails for the most part of usual shape and adapted to be secured to ties by spikes as usual or in any other appropriate manner.

Integral with and projecting beyond one end of each rail is a tongue preferably of wedge shape and increasing in width in- Serial No. 652,723.

wardly from its distal end. At the opposite end the tongue is cut away to provide a groove 11 having a shoulder at 12.

The opposite end of each rail is undercut or recessed at 13 to correspond to the shape of the tongue 10. This rail about the recess is preferably thickened as at 13 At the recess 13 a rib 14 is formed having a shoulder 15.

As a result, the rail B may be lowered onto the rail A with the tongue 10 received in recess 13 and the shoulders 12 and 15 in engagement. These rails will be held against vertical displacement by their securlng spikes and against longitudinal dis placement by shoulders 12 and 15 but without interfering with contraction and expansion due to climatic conditions in View of the loose fit of the parts afforded by the clearance at 16.

If desired, an auxiliary tongue 17 may be extended from the ends of each rail opposite to the tongues 10 and be received in the slots or recesses 18 of the adjacent rail ends.

Changes may be made within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim In a rail joint, one rail having a wedge shaped tongue extending beyond an end thereof and at its base, said tongue adjacent its inner end having a groove at its sides and top, the other rail having an undercut re- 75 cess, a rib in said recess corre ponding and to occupy said groove, one of the rails having an auxiliary tongue extending beyond one end, and the 0th r rail having a I'GCMS receiving said auxiliary tongue, as and for the purpose set forth and described, the parts being proportioned to afford clearance for contraction and expansion.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ASA L. MURRAY. 

